THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY #2: THE HAUNTED HALL Chapter #9 “A House is Not a Bonfire”

Plot Synopsis: As the crowd arrives (“people, young people of all sized, shapes, ages and colors streamed across the countryside”) for the Larkland Rock Music Festival, the Partridges, Rueben Kinkaid and Jerry Jingo talk in the “main room” of Satan Hall. They discuss what the Partridges should play at the Festival and whether there will be stools to sit on. Kinkaid smells smoke, then all notice flames and they try to escape through the front doors, but find them lock. Duke sees the flames and returns to the mansion to investigate (to the mockery of fellow squatter, Indian.) J. Waterson Turnbull admires his handy work, happy with himself for locking the doors (though he thought the mansion was empty.) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Character Development: Everyone again agrees about how wonderful Shirley is as a mother and human being. We learn in this passage that Danny’s vocabulary is not formidable: “’Just because I’m interested in what’s happening to the financial state of the nation is no reason for levity, Mister Kinkaid,’ he said, using his larger words.” Laurie would do a fine job in the question and answer of a beauty contest, as we learn when she says this about the Rock Music Festival, “’Yes,’ Laurie said very carefully and clearly, ‘I think it’s a beautiful expression of the youth of this country. And a beautiful way to show how they feel about things. I think it’s a privilege and an honor that we were all invited the way we were.’” xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Relevant Social Issues: “The Superiority of the Baby Boomer” as seen in this quote, “It would be the music of soul and spirit – music of a generation that wanted the end of wars everywhere and sang its message of love and peace.” “Woodstock as a model for Concert Preparation” (“What everybody would eat and how they would cook was left largely up to guess work. And maybe, good luck.”) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hip Slang: Again – groovy (“But everything was groovy now – real groovy as the kids might say!”), “Jeepers” (from Danny), “Vamoose”, “Doing your own thing” (which Jerry Jingo says is what it’s all about), and “You bet!” (from Tracey and Christopher, singing Shirley’s praise in unison.) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Contemporary Pop Culture References: Other performers at the Festival include: “The Elephant Five”, “Sandy and Sonny and Sid”, “The Apes”, and “The Loving Six”. U.S. Steel, Coca Cola and Mrs. Wagner’s Pies are mentioned as being traded on the stock exchange. “My Hands Were Made for You” is the Partridges upcoming single. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Favorite Sentences: “They had to get out of the house before it burned down around their ears.” “Laurie lowered her eyes under that smile, but she could feel her knees trembling with joy and happiness.”